Fort Smith mayoral candidate Shayne McKinney has built his campaign around a simple message: "Revamp Fort Smith."
For McKinney, that means more than revitalizing downtown or attracting new businesses. It means fundamentally changing how city government operates and serves the people it represents.
McKinney believes excessive regulations and an unresponsive city government have hindered Fort Smith's economic and cultural progress for decades. He wants to replace that approach with one emphasizing transparency, customer service, and fewer obstacles for residents and businesses.
He said he is running for mayor "to help set the citizens of Fort Smith free from an overaggressive, overly regulatory government that has impeded progress" economically and culturally for 50 years.
McKinney said he decided to enter the race last year after a city inspector issued a stop-work notice when he changed a ceiling fan without a permit while making an instructional video.
He said he sought help from city leaders, including the Board of Directors, the city administrator, and the mayor, but got none.
"I decided that somebody had to do something," McKinney said. "It might as well be me."
Changing how government serves residents
McKinney identified government transparency, a customer-service approach to city operations and a dedicated economic development position as his three priorities if elected.
He said residents should expect city officials to help them navigate regulations and complete projects, not make them harder.
"The city is infamously difficult to do business with compared to competing cities across the state and across the region," McKinney said.
He pointed to challenges residents and business owners face when starting businesses, remodeling homes or improving commercial properties.
"How can I help you fix this house? What can I do to make this easy for you? How can I help you to start this business?" McKinney said. "Those should be the things we expect our city to say."
McKinney also wants the city to create a full-time economic development position to coordinate communication among city departments and outside organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce and Main Street programs.
He said the position would help businesses navigate city processes while supporting efforts to attract new companies and encourage local investment.
Transparency would be another central component of his administration. McKinney said residents should know what their government is doing, who is involved in decisions, and how those decisions affect the community.
He also believes residents should be able to question or criticize elected officials without fearing repercussions.
"I expect people to disagree with me sometimes," McKinney said. "They and I should have the freedom to disagree publicly as much as they want to without any fear of problems or repercussions."
He expressed concern about what he described as an atmosphere of fear surrounding public participation in some city meetings.
"I don't think the government should ever try to silence opposition or try to stop people from expressing themselves," he said.
A different form of government
McKinney has also led efforts to change Fort Smith's form of government from its current city administrator structure to a mayor-council system.
He helped organize the petition effort that placed the question before voters in the Nov. 3 general election.
Under the current system, the Board of Directors establishes city policy and appoints a city administrator to oversee daily operations. The proposed mayor-council system would shift executive responsibilities to an elected mayor.
If voters approve the change, officials under the new system would be elected in November 2028, with the new government taking office Jan. 1, 2029. The mayor elected this November would continue serving under the existing system during the transition.
McKinney believes changing the structure would give Fort Smith an opportunity to reconsider how its government operates.
"I think this government change will help us to do a hard reset on our city," McKinney said.
He compared the proposal to restarting a computer that is no longer functioning properly.
"Sometimes when you have a computer problem, it just needs to be unplugged and plugged back in," he said.
McKinney said he believes the city has spent too long trying to make its existing structure work and should consider a different approach rather than depend on finding the right individual to operate the current system.
"Why don't we try something different that other cities are already doing and quit relying on finding that perfect candidate that the city needs?" he said.
Revitalizing Fort Smith's downtown
Looking ahead 10 years, McKinney envisions a Fort Smith with a revitalized downtown, new mixed-use developments and more attractions along the Arkansas River.
He wants to see commercial and residential development in neighborhoods surrounding downtown, bringing more people and activity into the city's center.
"I'd like to see our riverfront have actual attractions," McKinney said. "I'd like to see our city's downtown and city center thriving again rather than continuing to develop further and further outside of the city, which is unsustainable."
He believes the city already has many of the resources needed to support economic growth, including access to the Arkansas River, rail transportation, and major highways.
"We have the things necessary to be able to service almost any kind of industry," McKinney said.
However, McKinney believes Fort Smith must also reconsider how it attracts and retains residents as housing costs change.
He expressed concern that rising housing prices could eventually undermine one of Fort Smith's traditional economic advantages: its relatively low cost of living.
Recent housing market data, however, shows more modest changes than the 25% annual increase McKinney cited. Zillow reports Fort Smith home values increased approximately 2.7% over the past year, while Redfin reports a slight decline in the city's median sale price.
McKinney said Fort Smith will increasingly need to compete on quality of place rather than affordability alone.
"We will have to have something else to drive people to stay here and to work here, and that's gonna be quality of place," McKinney said.
That includes creating a more active downtown, encouraging redevelopment, and making Fort Smith a place residents want to live and businesses want to invest in.
He said the city will increasingly need to compete on quality of place rather than affordability alone.
"We will have to have something else to drive people to stay here and to work here, and that's gonna be quality of place," McKinney said.
That includes creating a more active downtown, encouraging redevelopment, and making Fort Smith a place residents want to live and businesses want to invest in.
An unconventional campaign
McKinney's campaign has also attracted attention for its unconventional imagery.
Known for a vampire persona that includes wearing fangs in public, McKinney has embraced the imagery in his political campaign, including coffin-shaped campaign signs and the slogan "Revamp Fort Smith."
His association with the vampire character drew attention in a Halloween 2025 Times Record feature, where he discussed possibly seeking the mayor's office. McKinney has since embraced the characterization as part of his public persona.
Despite the unusual campaign presentation, McKinney's stated priorities focus on changing city government, encouraging economic development and reducing what he considers unnecessary interference in residents' lives.
He also sees Fort Smith's greatest strength in its people.
"I think Fort Smith has one of the most amazing groups of citizens, as far as people who will work hard and will go out of their way to help you with things," McKinney said.
He described residents as generous, hardworking, and willing to invest their time and energy in improving their community.
"I think we have dreamers," he said. "I think we have people that have vision and desire to see the city succeed. And will work very hard to do so."
Ultimately, McKinney said he wants voters to remember one thing about his candidacy: his respect for their freedom.
"To work, improve, and start businesses or do anything else they would choose to do in their lives," he said.